A 28 Day Health & Fitness Challenge

Okay, it’s beyond out of control now. I’m really depressed about my weight. I have no energy, am achy, struggle to get dressed every morning because nothing fits me, and am stressed about life in general. I have picked up so much weight over the last year and weigh the most I probably ever have in my life. I really don’t know why I do this to myself *sigh*. I’m always back at the drawing board and I’m seriously trying to get married this year. And, I’m not shopping for dresses like this :(!

At the end of December/beginning of January, Christina of The Mane Objective wanted to collaborate on a MyFitness Pal Challenge. But, I just couldn’t get it together. Now, the situation is even worse than it was then. That being said, I started a personal 28 day challenge this morning. I did this last year and called it Project Scale Down. I did pretty well, though I think I missed 2 days in the 28? Anywho, the challenge is to do at least 10 minutes of exercise every day. This morning, I got up and did 30 minutes on the treadmill before the work. Wei got up too and jumped rope while I walked/jogged (only 5 minutes of barely jogging though). I’m trying to start exercising in the morning as I’m always so exhausted and drained (mentally and physically) after work. So, Wei has said that he is going to help me by needling me in the morning. I really hate that … I kind of get ticked. But, I need it as I am not a person who likes to work out in the morning. That being said, this means I also need to get in bed at a reasonable time if I’m going to be waking up at 5:30 am to start working out by 6. Therefore, 11 pm is my cut-off at night.

So, I will be training with kettlebell, C25K treadmill, the Biggest Loser Cardio Max, maybe the Brazil Butt Lift (BBL) DVD series, and Tamilee Webb’s Abs of Steel. Oh! And hot yoga!! I am pseudo watching The Biggest Loser again … but I am not feeling this season, which bums me out as I was excited for Jillian’s return. OH!! But, I might be able to watch it for Francelina alone!! OMGosh, have you seen her HAIR?!?!?!

LOOK at it!! *drool*

Y’all, I couldn’t stop bugging over her hair last week!!! Seriously, if she makes it to the makeover show and they straighten it ?!?! …. Oh, who am I kidding?!? If I had that much hair and someone was offering to straighten it for FREE?!?! Yeah, I’d be all over that. But, I’m sayin’ son!! She better make certain they use a heat protectant and low heat!!!! *lol*

Alright, back to the point of this post. So yeah, 28 day challenge. 10 minutes of exercise a day. And, I hit the grocery store tonight to stock up on my necessities (fresh fruit, frozen veggies, Lean Cuisines, almond milk, organic baby food, Fage Geek yogurt and some pseudo health granola and light popcorn for the snack attacks that I know are coming!!). Oh, and my job is sponsoring this new Health and Wellness initiative hosted by this site called Keas! It’s like a health Facebook page! It’s kind of wild. You can set personal challenges there, which include exercise, nutrition and stress reduction. You can also post status updates, pics, take quizzes and complete challenges to earn points towards “rewards.” It’s been going on a couple of weeks now, but I really just got started in the last few days and am still figuring everything out.

Okay, let me wrap this up as I haven’t eaten dinner yet and it’s almost 10 pm!! So, the last time that I really did this, I posted a brief work-out update after I completed my scheduled exercise plan each day. However, I don’t think I’m going to do that this time around as blogging is part of my problem. So, I’ll just periodically update you as I have in the past, as part of other posts.

2/19/13 ETA: I changed my mind. I am going to post updates daily!! But, they will be quick ones on Instagram with the hashtag, #28DayFitnessChallenge … I’d add Hairscapades, but it’s already too long ;). So, if you’re interested, play along and/or follow my progress on IG at @Hairscapades!

Good luck Shelli. I was doing my own physical/healthy challenges alone in the privacy of my home, and realized it wasn’t enough. I stepped it up by joining a gym and getting a personal trainer once a week for 6 months. It cost me a little more than I’d like, but I think it’s worth it. It’s been about a month now, and he said he sees some abs and arm definition already. Oh, he’s cute too, takes my motivation to another degree. Lol.
I wish you the best. I know you can and will accomplish your goal. I’ll be cheering you on.

Thanks Marsha!! You know, I used to be a real gym head, but I hate having to pack a bag in the morning and leaving the gym sweaty now! LOL!! But, I’m planning to incorporate one or two days a week at the gym in soon as I want to do the roman chair for abs and the lower back machine to strengthen my core. I’ve found those exercises more effective than what I’ve been able to do at home. Thanks again and that’s so funny about the trainer. Get it gurl ;).

I’m on the health kick too. I have my sorority anniversary in 2 weeks, tampa in march and miami in May and I’ve gained 15 pounds since August. I follow the Body for Life program for the most part but I tweek it with tapes and pilates. I did 60 min of cardio today and legs-tomorrow 30-45 of cardio only and wed arms/shoulders and 30-45 of cardio. I’m trying to get to bed by 930-10 and at gym by 530am. Morning workouts are best! Keep up the good work. 🙂

PFW, that’s awesome! My girlfriend has done Body for Life in the past with really good results. She tends to go back to it, but really for the diet side of it, not the exercise. And yes, going to bed at a reasonable time is so important and I really do like having my workout done in the morning. But, I hate getting up. I’m hoping that it’ll get easier with time … and it’ll make me go to bed at a reasonable time!!

I’m with you Shelli! Count me in. As you know, I am engaged now as well and we are actually getting married in April 2013 (shhhh…). It will be an intimate wedding with just our parents and my daughter. Anyway, I have a dress but my fitting is coming up the end of March and I have to fit in it!!! LOL! Since being engaged, I have gained “happy weight” that I am not happy with, so I am doing what I can to lose it. Starting tomorrow, I will be making my green smoothies as they helped me before. I love this site for recipes http://simplegreensmoothies.com/. My fiance is a fitness trainer but I can’t train with him because I get too frustrated since he pushes me, which is what I need, but I will be doing my own workouts at home first so I don’t embarrass myself at the gym. With all that being said, I am down for the cause!!!!

Hey Niah!! Woot woot! Wow, you are getting it done quickly!! But, sounds perfect!! That’s what we should have done when I didn’t have as much weight to lose;). I’ll check out the green smoothie site! I do like them! As to your fiance pushing you, maybe in time, when you feel you’ve plateaud, you’ll want that ;).

I am so in on this. My weight gain hasn’t been this bad ever in my life. I’m trying to get wedding dress ready, but working out with a toddler isn’t easy. Thank God for afternoon nap times. Can’t wait to see our results at the end. Best wishes everyone 🙂

Girl, I feel you for real … except I don’t have the toddler issue and I know second hand that it makes it a lot more difficult. So, I give all respect to those who manage to balance children, family, work and exercise/health! But yeah Sassy, let’s get it in. 10 minutes is all it takes!!

I totally feel ya’ll! I started working out last spring, after realizing that our youngest was turning FIVE – yup, it was safe to say it wasn’t baby weight, I was just plain chubbeyh! I just wanted to say that I’m rooting for you all! Remember ladies, to eat REGULARLY, don’t let yourselves get too hungry between meals, have a healthy snack in your purse, desk or stashed in your pocket if needs be. And PLEASE remember to get enough sleep – our bodies really need the down time to rebuild muscle, but also to recover it’s energy levels so we can exercise. Shelley, we love your blog and will be totally happy even with fewer/condensed posts, you just remember to take care of your beautiful self too!

I feel ya. I dont really gain weight , but I dont drastically lose it either . Ive been the same size since I had Maleah back in 2009. Im read Dr. Ian Smith’s book SHRED revolutionary diet. It is pretty good. Im not really consistant with dieting and I barely want to go or have time to go to the gym .but I try to hit Zumba at least 2 a week. Ive been good at maintaining but I really want to lose.
Smoothies are nasty , juicing is time consuming , and organic raw foods are expensive. Excuses I know. But the book SHRED lets you inncorporate basic everyday food.

I’ve been hearing about this Shred a bit. But, I know I won’t read it! LOL! I’m so bad! I liked smoothies and juicing, but having to go to the store to buy them fresh produce all of the time, washing it and the process was too time consuming for me too! But, a quick smoothie fix is replacing some fresh stuff with frozen veggies and fruit! I plan to try that as I like green smoothies and love knowing that I’m getting those nutrients and fiber in food form! And, you know, at least you are doing Zumba two times a week. I hadn’t been doing anything!

awww don’t feel down about it. I think we all get there from time to time. Remember you have motivated so many ppl with your workouts in the past. Now it’s your time to be motivated!

You can get it girl! Remember 2 years ago I was 204. I’m now 170. Not at goal yet but working it out. If I can do it, you certainly can. You got the gusto. You just have to resurrect it.

I’m not going to say good luck because in the system of luck, you can win or lose. I’ll just say Godspeed to you because with God all things are possible and you’ll always be a winner!

I’m in my 3rd week of Dr Ian Smith’s SHRED diet. Down 4 pounds in week 1. I’m weighing in tomorrow to get the results of week 2. I’ve been working out 5 days a week. It’s a total requirement for the 6 week SHRED program. It’s not been easy but I feel it in my body and it’s worth it. Today I did Jillian Michael’s EXTREME SHED And SHRED. Lawd! I couldn’t do the full 60 minutes. I was too tuckered out. I did 50 mins though and that’s pretty good for me. I alternate between this, Ripped in 30, Body Gospel (for days when I just need cardio but less intensity) and Slim in 6.

You can do this Shelli. And when you do, you can take me shopping with you for some gorgeous fitted clothes because I’ll need them!! Already I have to pin my clothes.

Shelli count me IN…after I get back from New Orleans next week of course lol the last time I weighed myself I’d gained 7 lbs since Thanksgiving…I’m not even going to tell you I’m pescetarian so clearly this is from sweets lol I need to lose like 15-20 lbs by the time my bf gets back from Afghanistan in May.

Lord girl, I am not trying to mess with Shaun T AT ALL!!! Everytime I see someone post that they are starting/doing Insanity, I think, “Uh uh.” Maybe when I was in my 20s, but I’m past that stage of killing myself working out!! I just know that it’ll result in me quitting, so that’s why I really try to keep my workouts NOT insane now! LOL!!!

Yeah – I’m down! Waiting for daylight savings time to resume my C25k. I used a great phone app last fall called “Get Running”, and purchased an armband phone holder from Five Below.

I work rotating shifts, and am soooo tired some times, too tired to work out this winter. I guess it was the winter blahs, but if I don’t take time and take care of me who will? I read a magazine article where a reader went to bed in her running clothes so she’d have no excuses to get her lazy bum up in the morning, Sounds like a plan to me – LOL!

My first action in 2013 was to back away from dinner table seconds. It got pretty easy once I realized how great i felt without a bad case of post meal “I-tis”.

LOL!!!! Wow!! Sleeping with her running clothes?!?! When I was doing right, I would put on my work-out clothes and sneakers as soon as I got home from work to keep me from making excuses. It worked for a year … then I fell off. *smh*

I’m with you Shelli! My little one turned 3 in January and he isn’t slowing down one bit. I also signed up for a color run in NY in July. I want to be able to keep up with my team. =o) I have been getting up at 5 every morning, dragging my butt out into the cold to make it to the gym before work, and once I get there I make it a point to sweat HARD. My hair has been super boring since I’ve started but I keep saying to myself ‘Health before hair!’. Best wishes to you! Team Hairscapades has your back!!

I know you said the other day that your morning workouts were not allowing you to wear your braid outs anymore. But girl, exactly! Health ALWAYS before hair!! And, the hair will look better with better health and you’ll look super fly when you have those special occasions when you have a fit body with gorgeous hair!! And my sister did a color run last fall!! That is a great motivation goal!! Thanks lady!! You rock!!

Good Luck! I’m in a Biggest Lose Challenge with Black Girls Run. I’m in week 2 and I’ve lost 4 pounds. Its been fun so far and over 100 women from my area are participating. Everyone motivates each other and althought the challenge is virtual, we have to provide picture proof of our run/walks. We also get challenges within the challenge that really keep us pumped up. I plan to be bikini ready by summer. And Yes I’m claiming it!

Best of luck with your fitness challenge! I know you will knock it out and get to where you want to be. You look great ! It will all be worth it when you feel as great as you look though! 🙂
Hang tough Shelli!!

I’m late reading this post but am so inspired. I’ll be starting my 28 day challenge today. I have hit an all time weight high at 176 lbs. Although I’m 5’10”, that is TOO much extra weight. All I’ve been wearing lately is dresses and yoga pants because I can’t bear to squeeze into any of my other clothes!